Obesity-related inflammatory signals predicting treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis patients starting biologics
Official title: Obesity-Induced Inflammatory Mediators Predict Lack of Response in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Starting Biological Therapies
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11387816 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at whether inflammatory markers tied to obesity can predict which RA patients will respond poorly to new biologic therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $461,990 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR083584-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387816 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with rheumatoid arthritis who are about to start a biological therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing biologic treatment or whose obesity-related signals are not informative for RA treatment response.
What this research studies
Researchers at UC San Diego will follow people with rheumatoid arthritis who are about to start a biologic treatment and measure obesity-related inflammatory signals in their blood and fat tissue. They aim to build a biomarker signature from multiple indicators rather than a single molecule to forecast treatment outcomes. By linking these signals to treatment response, the study hopes to guide personalized therapy choices in RA.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive more effective, tailored RA therapies with fewer trial-and-error steps.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests obesity-related factors influence RA outcomes, but a combined multi-biomarker signature is still being validated.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Guma, Monica — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Guma, Monica
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How obesity-related inflammation affects biologic treatment for rheumatoid arthritis
This work looks at whether obesity-linked proteins and lipids explain why some people with rheumatoid arthritis don't improve after starting biologic medicines.
-
How obesity-related inflammation affects treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis patients
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IgG glycosylation and endothelial FcγRIIB: understanding RA-related heart and blood vessel disease
This project looks at how rheumatoid arthritis affects blood vessels and clotting, with the goal of uncovering new ways to prevent heart and stroke risk for people with RA.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.